KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian government has officially commenced the distribution of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) “For All” program starting Monday, involving a total allocation of RM2.2 billion targeted at over 22 million MyKad holders nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), each eligible citizen will receive a one-off credit of RM100, which can be utilized until December 31, 2026. The program is designed to provide broader relief, allowing households with multiple eligible adults to receive cumulative assistance. For instance, a family with four eligible adults could receive a total of RM400.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim highlighted that the initiative is strategically timed to support citizens during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations and the start of the holy month of Ramadan. He emphasized that the aid aims to ease the financial burden on the public during these significant periods.
In a move to increase the program’s impact, the government has expanded the list of approved essential items to 15 categories, now including frozen foods. This expansion brings the total number of eligible products to approximately 140,000, following feedback from the public regarding daily necessities.
To improve accessibility, the MoF aims to increase the number of SARA retail partners to 10,000 by the end of the year. The government is also working to reduce the travel distance to the nearest participating outlet from 10 kilometers to 7 kilometers, ensuring that those in rural or less accessible areas can benefit more easily.
Citizens are advised to verify their eligibility and credit status through the official SARA portal at https://sara.gov.my. The Ministry of Finance also issued a stern reminder for the public to remain cautious of phishing links and fraudulent messages, clarifying that the government never requests personal details via SMS or WhatsApp.
